The present invention relates generally to circuit breakers, and more particularly, to communication with and reprogramming of residential electronic circuit breakers.
In residential electrical distribution systems in which electronic circuit breakers are connected, the breakers are programmed to do specific functions when used in the field. These programs enable the breaker to trip, i.e., to interrupt power when the current reaches the desired value. The programming of the circuit breaker is performed at the site of manufacture. In the event a previously installed electronic circuit breaker fails to operate properly (e.g., nuisance trips), a skilled electrician must make a site visit to remove the circuit breaker and replace it with another. This is quite costly to the consumer and/or company that produces the circuit breaker. Currently, there is no simple means available to the consumer for reprogramming a circuit breaker to remedy the failure.
A case where the means for reprogramming will have a great benefit is with circuit breakers using arc fault detection. There are an infinite combination of loads that can be connected to an electrical system that is protected by a single circuit breaker (i.e., a bedroom with multiple 120 Vac outlets with multiple loads (i.e. computers, lamps, TVs, etc. connected.). As such, it is impossible to test all of these loads to guarantee that there will be no nuisance tripping issues. In addition to the infinite number of loads and combination of loads that can be connected to an electrical distribution system that is protected by a single circuit breaker, there are always new loads being developed everyday. As technology progresses, the characteristics of these loads, as seen in the electrical distribution system, may change. This may result in a nuisance tripping condition. As an example, the loading and operational characteristics of a computer produced by one manufacturer today, that does not cause nuisance tripping, may not have the same characteristics of a computer produced by the same manufacturer in 5 years. Because the computers characteristics have changed after the circuit breaker has been installed into the customer's residence, the only way, today to remedy the nuisance tripping condition is to have an electrician come out and replace the circuit breaker with a new circuit breaker.
In addition to the failure to address such issues as nuisance tripping, current residential circuit breakers cannot be easily upgraded, i.e., the firmware in the circuit breaker's electronics cannot be easily upgraded to add new functions, such as over voltage tripping/alarm functions, power and energy metering, etc. As indicated, the consumer today cannot easily perform a firmware upgrade procedure without requiring an electrician come out and replace the circuit breaker.
Consequently, the demand for re-programmable circuit breakers increases. However, re-programming requires the capability to communicate with the circuit breakers. The ability to communicate with residential circuit breakers enables parameter/value changes (e.g., tripping current values) and the addition of new functionality. Communicating with residential circuit breakers has generally involved separate communications wiring and power. However, separate communications wiring and power supply increases the cost and complexity of implementing communicating residential circuit breakers. The elimination of separate power supplies and complex wiring became advantageous. U.S. Pat. No. 6,671,148 B2 to Evans et al. discloses an electronic communicating residential circuit breaker in which separate power supplies and communication wiring are eliminated.
Residential electrical systems can be used for data communication within a residence. For existing residences, wiring in the electrical systems is advantageous to use because, no additional wiring is required for communications. In one example, data transmissions are routed through a load center, sometimes called a breaker box or fuse box due to residential wiring conventions. The load center is the incoming point for electrical service to the residence and wiring for the residence branches out from the load center. The load center includes a number of circuit breakers (a main circuit breaker and one, to many, branch circuit breaker(s)) for the protection of various circuits within the residence. In these systems, communication is typically established by using a communication protocol addressing system to determine whether a signal is intended for a specific device. U.S. Pat. No. 6,356,426 B1 to Dougherty discloses embodiments of residential circuit breakers in which protocol addressing is used to communicate with an intended breaker. While protocols using communications addressing may be adequate, such methods are complicated for a consumer to use.
There is a need to provide a consumer a means to reprogram his/her circuit breaker. Specifically, there is a need for a simple method, system and device for communicating with and reprogramming of residential circuit breakers.